Manufacture of artificial silk or like threads and apparatus therefor



May 22, 1934. s A WELCH 1,959,452

MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL SILK OR LIKE THREADS AND APPARATUS THEREFOR- Filed March 23, 1928 Aiiomc Patented May 22, 1934 MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL SILK OR LIKE THREADS AND APPARATUS THERE- FOR Sidney Arthur WelchQSpondon, near Derby, England, assignor to Celanese Corporation of America; a corporation of Delaware Application March 23,

' In Great Britain April 4, 1927 6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in or relating to the manufacture of artificial silk or like threads by processes wherein solutions, containing, for example, cellulose acetate or other cellulose derivatives are extruded through jets or nozzles to form continuous filaments which are solidified or coagulated by wet or dry processes and led forward in association. to a winding and twisting device, whereby the filaments are twisted into threads and wound continuously with their production.

A process and apparatus wherein artificial filaments are twisted and wound by cap spinning devices continuously with their production by dry spinning or evaporative'processes, forms the subject matter of U. S. Patent No. 1,731,317 issued Oct. 15, 1929.

The combination of ring or flyer twisting and winding with the continuous production of artificial filaments has hitherto been attended with considerable difliculty in practice.

As is well known, in ring or flyer machines for twisting threads or bundles of filaments, means are usually provided for arresting the feed of bin, spool, tube or other carrier, for an empty one, or when dealing with broken threads. Further, in order to prevent an accumulation of loose thread during the threading of the ringtrav'eller or flyer, the feed of the thread is not restarted until the threading operation has been performed.

In the case of the continuous formation of artificial filaments by extrusion processes, however, the operation of threading the ring-traveller or flyer must be performed without stoppage of production' and therefore without interrupting the feed of the untwisted thread or bunch of filaments, and unless the extrusion is performed at ,40 uneconomically low speeds is attended by an accumulation of loose thread which fouls the machinery and becomes entangled. Similar troubles arise during the changing of the bobbin or other carrier and before the actual threading operation takes place. For these reasons it has the untwisted thread when changing a full bob- 1928, Serial No. 264,242

thread is delivered from the filament forming apparatus or from the feed or drawing roller which is usually associated therewith to a winding or other device capable of continuously collecting the untwisted thread as fast as it is delivered, and the operation of threading the ring-traveller or flyer is performed while the thread is running from the filament forming apparatus or feed or drawing roller to the winding or other thread collecting device.

Apparatus constructed in'accordance with this invention comprises, in combination, means for continuously producing artificial filaments by wet or dry spinning and for associating the filaments into untwisted thread, a ring or flyer device for twisting and winding the thread, and means for winding or otherwise continuously collecting the untwisted thread as fast as it is delivered. a

In order that the invention may be clearly understood, it will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which Figures 1, 2 and 3 are diagrammatic representations of one form of apparatus comprising a ring-spinning device, constructed and arranged in accordance with the present invention, successive stages of the operation of applying the thread to the bobbin or other thread carrier being illustrated in the several figures;

Figure 4 represents a device for driving the bobbin or other thread carrier either at winding speed or at twisting and winding speed as desired.

The form of apparatus illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3 comprises 'a ring-spinning device together with a feed or drawing roller or rollers A for continuously delivering, preferably at a uniform speed, the untwisted thread coming directly from a filament-forming apparatus; such for instance as the dry spinning apparatus illustrated, together with a thread guide B mounted vertically over the ring-spinning device, anda waste roller C for continuously winding and collecting the untwisted thread during any stoppage of the twisting and winding operation. The ringspinning device comprises a' ring D carrying a traveller E and is mounted in reciprocating relationship to the bobbin or other thread carrier F, which is carried by a spindle rotated by a driving member H. A rubber or other elastic band. or spring G is fitted on the barrel of the bobbin F. A hook J fordrawing the thread through the band or spring G is shown in Figures 2 and 3.

The driving mechanism shown in Figure 4 comprises driving members M and N adapted to ro-f tate the spindle and bobbin at winding speed and at twisting and winding speed respectively. A clutch K fitted with a handle L is provided for throwing the driving members M and N into or out of driving relationship with respect to the spindle.

When the form of apparatus shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 is not being operated to twist or wind the thread delivered by the feed or drawing roller or rollers A,'that is to say, while the bobbin is being changed and during the threading operation,-'-the untwisted thread continuously delivered by the feed or drawing roller or rollers A is taken up by the waste roller 0, which collects the thread as fast as it is delivered. The guide B and the traveller E are threaded while the thread is still traveling from the feed or drawing roller or rollers A to the waste roller C, the path followed by the thread after the threading operation being shown in Figure 1.

In applying the thread to the bobbin F, the

bobbin is first stopped by the operator and is held in a stationary positiorswith the rubber band or spring G held away from the bobbin. The

hook J is then passed through the-loop of the band or spring G, and is made to engage the portion of the thread between the traveller E and the waste roller C in the manner shown in Figure 2. The hook is then operated to draw the thread .downwards through the band or spring G into the position shown in Figure 3. Finally, the band or spring G is released so that it presses and holds the thread against the bobbin, the bobbin being simultaneously released to take up its full twisting and winding speed, and the thread being at the same time broken or cut at any point between the hook J and the wasteroller CL In practice, it is found that the use of the hook I may be dispensed with, and in place thereof, the

operative may pass two of his fingers through the band or spring G, and after using them to seize the portion of the thread passing from the traveller E to the waste roller 0, may draw the thread by hand through the band or spring G, and simultaneously release the bobbin to take up its full speed of rotation-and break the thread. Further, the rubber band or like device may be dispensed with if care is taken to secure satisfactory engagement between the thread and the bobbin or the like at the time of breaking the thread. w

Instead of employing a separate waste roller C, the feed or drawing roller A, or--if two of such rollers are employed-one of said rollers A, may be employed as waste roller, the thread being threaded through the guide'B and the traveller E so that it runs from the feed or drawing roller or rollers through the guide B and the traveller E back to the feed or drawing roller A that is being employed as waste roller.

In either of the arrangements described above, the two-speed driving mechanism described with reference to Figure 4 may be employed so that the bobbin or other thread carrier can be driven at winding speed when the thread is being applied to it.

when the two-speed driving mechanism is employed, it is possible to dispense with the use of a waste roller and to employ the bobbin itself as a means for continuously collecting the untwisted thread during the threading operation. In this case, .the untwisted thread delivered by the feed or drawing roller or rollers A is thrown on to the bobbin while it is rotating at winding speed. The thread then threaded through the stationary thread guide located on the same level as the bobbin may be employed, the thread being subsequently disengaged therefrom either manually or automatically.

During any cessation of the twisting and winding operation, the bunch of filaments coming from the filament producing apparatus or from the feed or drawing roller associated therewith is led by hand to the waste roller C and wound thereon. It is to be understood that the invention is applicable'not only to the more usual types of ring or fiyer twisting and winding devices, but also to any other type of twisting and winding device employing a thread guide or holder which traverses .a circular or other appropriate path about the spindle on which the bobbin onlike carrier for the twisted thread is mounted, whether such twisting and winding device is used to give a parallel wind, spool wind, bottle wind or any other desired kind of wind. Such twisting and.

winding devices are referred to in the appended claims as ring traveller devices".

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Process of ring-spinning artificial filaments continuouslywith their production which comprises passing the thread formed from said filaments into a traveller of a ring-spinning device and engaging said thread with a bobbin in the form of a bight while the thread is being wound on to a winding surface as fast as it is produced, then breaking the thread and transferring it to the bobbin within the ring of said device and permitting the traveller to run round the ring to twist the thread and wind it on to the bobbin.

2. Process of ring-spinninTg' artificial filaments" continuously with their production which comprises collecting the thread formed from said filaments on a bobbin within the ring of said device while rotating the bobbin at the speed at which the thread is produced, passing the thread into the traveller of said device, and rotating the bobbin at twisting and winding speed while permitting the traveller to run round the ring to twist the thread and wind it on to the bobbin.

3. Apparatus for twisting and winding in package form threads of artificial filaments continuously with the production of such filaments, said apparatus comprising means for spinning artificial filaments, means for associating the filaments as an untwisted thread, a bobbin, a ringand-traveller device associated with said bobbin, means adapted to collect the untwisted thread as fast as it is produced, during the time taken to apparatus comprising means for dry spinning artificial filaments, means for associating the filaments as an untwisted thread, a bobbin, a ringand-traveller device associated with said bobbin, means adapted to collect the untwisted thread as 'fast as it is produced, during the time taken to engage the thread in the traveller of the ring-andtraveller device, said collecting means also acting as part of the threading up means and means for rotating the bobbin at twisting and winding speed whereby the thread is twisted and wound on the bobbin to form a package by the rotation of the traveller relative to the bobbin.

5. Apparatus for twisting and winding in package form threads of artificial filaments continuously with the production of such filamentasaid apparatus comprising means for spinning artificial filaments, means for associating the filaments as an untwisted thread, a bobbin, a ring-andtraveller device associated with said bobbin, a collecting roller adapted to collect the thread as fast as it is produced, during the time taken to engage the thread in the traveller of the ringand-traveller device, means on said bobbin adapted for securing the thread thereto after its engagement with the traveller, and means for rotating the bobbin at twisting and winding speed whereby the thread is twisted and wound on the bobbin to form a package by the rotation of the traveller relative to the bobbin.

6. Apparatus for twisting and winding in package form threads of artificial filaments continuously with the production of such filaments, said apparatus comprising means for dry spinning artificial filaments, means for associating the filaments as an untwisted thread, a bobbin, a ringand-traveller device associated with said bobbin, a collecting roller adapted to collect the thread as fast as it is produced, during the time taken to engage the thread in the traveller of the ring-andtraveller device, means on said bobbin adapted for securing the thread thereto after its engagement with the traveller, and means for rotating the bobbin at twisting and winding speed where'- by the thread is twisted and wound on the bobbin to form a package by the rotation of the traveller relative to the bobbin.

SIDNEY ARTHUR WELCH. 

